Summary: Enhancing State-Space Tree Diagrams for
Collaborative Problem Solving
Steven L. Tanimoto
University of Washington, Seattle WA 98195, USA,
tanimoto@cs.washington.edu,
WWW home page: http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/tanimoto/
Abstract. State-space search methods in problem solving have often
been illustrated using tree diagrams. We explore a set of issues related to
coordination in collaborative problem solving and design, and we present
a variety of interactive features for state-space search trees intended to
facilitate such activity. Issues include how to show provenance of deci-
sions, how to combine work and views produced separately, and how to
represent work performed by computer agents. Some of the features have
been implemented in a kit called TStar and a design tool called PRIME
Designer.
1 Introduction
1.1 Motivation
Problem solving and design processes tend to confront more and more complex
challenges each year. A solution to a single problem often requires expertise from
several domains. For example, Boston's "Big Dig" required expertise from civil